Letter to Editor: Chamber of Commerce Thanks City Staff for Budget Work

On behalf of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, our nearly 900 members, and the Alexandria business community, we sincerely thank the Mayor, City Council members and City staff for their excellent work on the FY2012 City Budget.  

We appreciate how difficult City Council’s decisions were during the budget process and commend them for the very hard work they have done.  Choosing not to implement the commercial add-on tax sends a clear message to our region that Alexandria wants to attract and retain business.  Our City Council chose to do the right thing for Alexandria and did not simply follow the lead of our neighbors.  Indeed, we can now be known as a safe haven for businesses in northern Virginia.

We still have work to do with City Council and staff to ensure that we select, implement and continue to fund the transportation projects that have the highest impact for Alexandria.  We take that responsibility seriously and look forward to working with them in this regard.

We ask all business owners to please thank City Council for their cooperative approach and collective bravery in creating this budget.  We are proud of what they have done for the benefit of all Alexandrians.

Sincerely,
Mike Anderson, Chair

Tina Leone, President/CEO

Alexandria Chamber of Commerce